This archive report was first published on 11 August 2019.
Published on August 11, 2019, the Indian state of Kerala is reeling from the devastating effects of heavy monsoon rains, which have claimed at least 67 lives.
According to a senior Kerala police officer, over 165,000 people have been relocated to 1,318 relief camps across 14 districts in the state, with rescue and relief operations being hindered by bad weather and damaged infrastructure.
Local emergency personnel and troops from the army, navy, and air force have been deployed to assist in search, rescue, and relief efforts across the affected regions.
The flood toll has also increased in neighboring Karnataka state, where at least 34 people have been confirmed dead, with 14 others still missing.
A Karnataka government official reported that over 480,000 people, 50,000 animals, and 300,000 people in relief camps have been rescued, with at least 136 roads and highways damaged or cut off due to floodwaters.
While the rains have eased in the upstream Maharashtra state, several reservoirs in the region have received record inflows, and officials expect the situation to improve in the next four to five days if there are no further rains.
